Images are a crucial part of any ecommerce store, including Shopify. They attract visitors, convey messages, and can significantly impact sales. But did you know that the way you describe these images can also influence your store's search engine ranking? That's where alt text comes into play.
In this post, I'm going to walk you through the process of writing effective alt text for Shopify images. You'll learn why it's important, how to craft it, and some tips to ensure you're getting the most out of your SEO efforts. Ready to make your images work harder for your store? Let's get started.
What is Alt Text and Why is it Important?
Alt text, short for alternative text, is a brief description added to images on a website. Its primary purpose is to improve accessibility, ensuring that people using screen readers can understand what the image represents. But it also plays a significant role in SEO because search engines use this text to index and understand images.
Think of alt text as a way to talk to search engines about your images. While a picture might be worth a thousand words, search engines don’t see images the way we do. They rely on alt text to gauge the relevance of an image to a given search query. If your alt text is well-crafted, it can improve your search engine rankings, making it easier for potential customers to find your store.
Providing clear and descriptive alt text isn't just about SEO. It's about making your content accessible to everyone. A well-described image ensures that all visitors have a similar experience on your site, regardless of their abilities.
How to Write Effective Alt Text for Shopify
Crafting effective alt text is both an art and a science. You want to be descriptive but concise, informative but not overly technical. Here's a step-by-step guide to get you started:
- Be Descriptive: Describe the image as if you're explaining it to someone who can't see it. What is the main subject? What's happening in the image?
- Include Relevant Keywords: Naturally incorporate keywords that are relevant to the image and your brand. But don’t stuff keywords; keep it natural.
- Keep It Concise: While you want to be descriptive, try to keep alt text under 125 characters. This is generally enough to convey the necessary information without overwhelming the reader.
- Be Specific: If the image contains specific details, like a product name or color, include these in the alt text.
- Avoid Redundancy: Don't include phrases like "image of" or "picture of." It's already implied that it's an image.
For example, instead of writing "image of a red dress," you might write "women's red cocktail dress with lace detailing." This description is more specific and helpful for both users and search engines.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Writing alt text isn't rocket science, but there are common pitfalls that you’ll want to steer clear of:
- Keyword Stuffing: Avoid cramming keywords into your alt text. It can make your text sound unnatural and might even hurt your SEO.
- Vague Descriptions: Simply saying "product" or "item" doesn’t help anyone. Be specific about what the image shows.
- Ignoring Alt Text: Leaving alt text blank is a missed opportunity for SEO and accessibility.
- Overly Detailed Descriptions: You don’t need to write a novel. Focus on the essential elements of the image.
By keeping these points in mind, you can avoid the common traps that many fall into while writing alt text.
Alt Text and Product Images
Product images are the lifeblood of any Shopify store. They show potential customers what they’re buying. But they can do more than just that. With the right alt text, product images can also improve your SEO.
When writing alt text for product images, include the product name, color, and any distinguishing features. For example, "blue ceramic coffee mug with handle, 12 oz." This alt text is specific, includes relevant keywords, and helps users and search engines understand what the image is about.
Remember, the goal is to create a seamless shopping experience. Alt text not only improves accessibility but can also enhance your SEO strategy, helping your products appear in image search results.
Alt Text for Decorative Images
Not all images on your Shopify store are product images. Some serve a decorative purpose, like banners or background images. These images may not require alt text, but you still need to consider accessibility.
For purely decorative images that don’t add information or context, you can use an empty alt attribute (alt=""). This tells screen readers to skip the image, which can improve the browsing experience for users relying on these tools.
However, if an image contributes to the content or context, it should have descriptive alt text. For example, if a banner image includes a promotional message, the alt text should convey that message.
Using Alt Text to Improve Accessibility
While SEO is important, accessibility should be a top priority when writing alt text. By ensuring that all users, regardless of ability, can access and understand your content, you create a more inclusive shopping experience.
Accessible alt text describes the image's content and purpose. It helps users who rely on screen readers understand what others see. This is not only good practice but often a legal requirement under accessibility laws.
Think about your audience and how they interact with your content. By focusing on accessibility, you can create alt text that serves both your users and your SEO strategy effectively.
Tools to Help with Alt Text on Shopify
If you're feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry. There are tools and apps available that can help you manage alt text on your Shopify store:
- Shopify Apps: There are apps specifically designed to help manage SEO and alt text. These can automate some tasks, saving you time.
- SEO Plugins: Plugins like Yoast can suggest alt text ideas based on your content and keywords.
- Accessibility Tools: Tools like WAVE can help you evaluate your site’s accessibility and guide you in improving your alt text.
These tools can simplify the process of writing and managing alt text, ensuring that you’re covering all your bases.
Alt Text Best Practices
To wrap up the alt text discussion, here are some best practices to keep in mind:
- Consistency: Maintain a consistent style and tone in your alt text. This helps create a cohesive experience across your store.
- Periodical Review: Regularly review and update your alt text to ensure it stays relevant and accurate.
- Test Accessibility: Use screen readers to test the accessibility of your alt text. This will give you firsthand experience of how users interact with it.
By adhering to these best practices, you can create alt text that supports both accessibility and SEO.
Final Thoughts
Writing effective alt text for Shopify images can seem daunting at first, but with a little practice, it becomes second nature. Remember to be descriptive, concise, and relevant. By doing so, you’ll not only improve your store’s SEO but also create a more accessible experience for all users.
And speaking of making things easier, if you're looking for expert help with SEO, consider partnering with Pattern. We specialize in helping ecommerce brands grow by driving more traffic from Google and turning that traffic into paying customers. We focus on results, not just rankings, and can help you see real ROI from your SEO efforts. So why not make SEO a growth channel that drives sales and lowers your customer acquisition costs? With Pattern, SEO becomes a strategic part of your broader marketing system, ensuring every dollar you invest delivers real results.